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ExploreCSR Introduces Female Students to the World of Computer Science Research

In most university computer science classes, women are a minority. But at last weekend’s exploreCSR workshop at California State University Long Beach, the opposite was true.

The three-day workshop, supported by a $35,000 grant from Google, drew about 50 students from universities throughout Southern California, including Fullerton, Long Beach, Pomona, and San Diego in the California State University system, and Irvine and San Diego in the University of California system. All but three were women. Continue reading “ExploreCSR Introduces Female Students to the World of Computer Science Research”

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CECS’s Alvaro Monge Completes Google Faculty in Residence Summer Program

Graduating computer science students are all too familiar with the technical interview, where they’re asked to solve a problem on a whiteboard to demonstrate why they might be a useful addition to the team. However, that approach is in sharp contrast to the usual college lectures, where students sit quietly as professors click through their slide decks.

That will now change—at least in some of Professor Alvaro Monge’s computer science classes—thanks to his newfound experience with project-based learning.

Monge was one of 21 faculty from 20 U.S. institutions serving underrepresented students who participated in Google’s Faculty in Residence program this summer. The four-week program in Mountain View, Calif., offered an immersive learning experience to explore hands-on, project-based learning workshops. Continue reading “CECS’s Alvaro Monge Completes Google Faculty in Residence Summer Program”

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Creating More Inclusive Classrooms

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At Claremont’s STEM-focused Harvey Mudd College, nearly half of the 800 students are women. The percentage holds for computer science. But it wasn’t always that way. Back in 2004, only about one-tenth of computer science students were women.

Harvey Mudd Assistant Professor Colleen Lewis was at CSULB Monday to share tips on how to create inclusive classrooms where students with a broad array of characteristics feel comfortable. “As an educator, I want to understand and optimize learning,” she said.

The No. 1 tip Lewis shared: Highlight the breadth of the field so students will come across something that interests them and see a place for themselves. For example, in intro computer science classes, faculty might use a Fractal Fruit Tree or Smiley Face Recognition System to increase student engagement.   Continue reading “Creating More Inclusive Classrooms”